How to use Activated Charcoal for Bloating

Stomach bloating is caused due to the buildup of gas in the small intestine that makes you feel full and tight. The best way to relieve you from bloating is to encourage passing gas and having regular bowel movement. Activated charcoal is one such amazing remedy used for treating your digestive problems including bloating.

Here are some of its properties that help to cure gas and bloating, have a look on it, to know how it works for clearing the intestinal problems.

• Activated charcoal gets oxidized with air or hot steam that makes it very porous. It has holes which allow the passage of water and air through them. So when taken internally, it traps the excess gas, toxins and other bacteria in the intestine that causes gas and bloating by flushing out of the body.
• According to American Journal of Gastroenterology, activated charcoal prevents the intestinal gas by binding the gas causing byproducts in food.
• It has concentrated source of carbon that provides the absorption capacity to soak up the excess intestinal gas. It is also used to relieve you from the poisonous reactions or overdose reactions in the body.
• It has electrostatic negative charge that attracts the positive compounds like chemical, toxic materials and other micro-organisms damaging the intestine.

How to take Activated Charcoal for Bloating:

Here is the best way that explains you on how to take the charcoal in a proper way to get rid of intestinal gas and abdominal bloating.

• • It is widely available in tablets, capsules or powder form. Consult your health care provider to know the exact dosage as per your health condition.
  • Take activated charcoal (in any form) on an empty stomach will yield best results against the problem.
  • This allows the charcoal to travel through the system and also avoid it from absorbing the beneficial nutrients from the food.
  • It is recommended to take 500 – 600 mg of activated charcoal 1 hour before or 2 hours after a typical gas-producing meal followed by 1 glass of water.
  • Then after drink another glass of water immediately to get the charcoal into the system to bind gas producing elements.
  • Prefer to take 2 tablets per day according to the severity of your condition. Make sure that dosage should not exceed 5 grams daily.

Tips and Precautions:

1. Drink 12 – 16 glasses of water per day while using activated charcoal, as it causes dehydration and the body is unable to flush out toxins and prevents constipation. Some people might observe black stools while taking charcoal but it is not a dangerous condition.
2. Avoid using straws while drinking and chew gums, as it leads to the consumption of air. Also, don’t talk while eating or chewing.
3. Consult your doctor if your condition is chronic and makes you uncomfortable.
4. Be sure that that you have to use only activated charcoal, prefer that is made from coconut shells or other natural sources for curing the gas and bloating.
5. Few charcoal tablets contain sorbitol (a sugar alcohol) that often exhibits laxative effects. It also prevents the absorption of medicines which you’re taking regularly for treating your health problems.
6. You can find activated charcoal in health food stores, local pharmacies or through online stores.
7. Overdosage of activated charcoal in some cases may cause mild gastrointestinal disturbances like vomiting, nausea, indigestion and other discomforts.
8. It is safe for pregnant or nursing women and children, when taken in small amounts.
9. Other than using charcoal, you have to quit smoking, stay hydrated, avoid overeating or eating too fast, do some regular exercises, consume healthy diet that prevent constipation and indigestion, etc. to prevent the problem now and in future.

Hope you give a trial to charcoal for treating your bloating problem. Do you know any other charcoal method for treating bloating or any queries? Then share it with us.